Botulinum toxin-A for the treatment of neuralgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

[AIM] This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) for the treatment of neuralgia.

[METHODS] We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing BTX-A treatment with saline for alleviating neuropathic pain. Primary outcome measures were pain scores up to 24 weeks after treatment. Secondary outcomes were hours of sleep, Short Form-36 (SF-36) life quality questionnaire, and adverse events. We used Review Manager 5.3 for the data analyses.

[RESULTS] Twelve RCTs were included (n=495). Pain scores in the BTX-A group were significantly lower compared to the saline group at 4 weeks (mean difference [MD] =-1.64, 95% CI [-3.21, -0.07], =0.04), 12 weeks (MD =-1.49, 95% CI [-2.05, -0.93], <0.00001), and 24 weeks (MD =-1.61, 95% CI [-2.81, -0.40], =0.009). There were no significant differences in hours of sleep, SF-36 questionnaire, or the incidence of injection pain or hematoma between the two groups. No serious adverse events associated with BTX-A were noted. Fourteen out of 108 patients (12.9%) with trigeminal neuralgia experienced mild facial asymmetry after the BTX-A treatment.

[CONCLUSION] Based on the current evidence, BTX-A may be an effective and safe option for the treatment of neuralgia. Due to the limited number of patients included in this meta-analysis, more trials are still needed to confirm these results.